HMS ''Royal James'' was a 102-gun
first rate
In the rating system of the Royal Navy used to categorise sailing warships, a first rate was the designation for the largest ships of the line. Originating in the Jacobean era with the designation of Ships Royal capable of carrying at least ...
ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactics in the Age of Sail, naval tactic known as the line of battl ...
of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
, built by
Anthony Deane at
Portsmouth Dockyard
His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is loc ...
at a cost of £24,000, and launched on 31 March 1671.
She was the first Royal Navy vessel to be assembled using iron as a part of her frame, rather than merely in bolts and nails. Her shipwright, Sir
Anthony Deane modified the vessel's plans to include U-shaped iron bars to secure the planking of the hull, despite stern disapproval from Admiralty's representative, the Clerk of the Acts
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys ( ; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English writer and Tories (British political party), Tory politician. He served as an official in the Navy Board and Member of Parliament (England), Member of Parliament, but is most r ...
. Deane defended his actions by claiming there was a shortage of usable wood. His defence was personally reviewed by the King,
Charles II, who upheld the use of iron. However, the innovation was not repeated in other Royal Navy vessels until adoption of the
1719 Establishment
The 1719 Establishment was a set of mandatory requirements governing the construction of all Royal Navy warships capable of carrying more than 20 naval long guns. It was designed to bring economies of scale through uniform vessel design, and e ...
nearly fifty years later.
''Royal James'' was also one of only three Royal Navy ships to be equipped with the
Rupertinoe naval gun.
[Spencer, p.351; Endsor, p.9.]
She fought at the
Battle of Solebay
The Battle of Solebay took place on 6 June 1672 New Style, during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, near Southwold, Suffolk, in eastern England. A Dutch States Navy, Dutch fleet under Michiel de Ruyter attacked a combined Kingdom of England, Anglo-King ...
on 7 June 1672 (28 May 1672 O.S.) as Admiral
Edward Montagu's flagship. She was attacked by first
''Dolfijn'', and then
''Groot Hollandia'', before finally coming under attack by
Dutch
Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
** Dutch people as an ethnic group ()
** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship ()
** Dutch language ()
* In specific terms, i ...
fireships. ''Royal James'' was destroyed by the fire and sank. Montagu died, although the ship's Captain,
Richard Haddock, survived and went on to hold a distinguished career in the Navy. She had seen barely four months service.
The Burning of the Royal James (Later in the Day), wandtapijt door Willem van de Velde de Oude.png, ''The Burning of the Royal James (Later in the Day)'', tapestry by Willem van de Velde the Elder
Willem van de Velde the Elder (1610/11 – 13 December 1693) was a Dutch Golden Age seascape painter, who produced many precise drawings of ships and ink paintings of fleets, but later learned to use oil paints like his son.
Biography
Wi ...
Notes
References
*Endsor, Richard. (2009) ''Restoration Warship: The Design, Construction and Career of a Third Rate of Charles II's Navy.'' London: Anova Books.
*Lavery, Brian (1983) ''The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850.'' Conway Maritime Press. .
*Spencer, Charles. (2007) ''Prince Rupert: The Last Cavalier.'' London: Phoenix.
External links
*
Ships of the line of the Royal Navy
1670s ships
{{UK-line-ship-stub